Royal college supports promotion of breast feeding

EDITOR—In its submission to the Acheson inquiry on poverty and health (the findings of which are expected to be published in autumn 1998) the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health proposed interventions to increase the number of women breast feeding their babies. At the college's 1998 annual general meeting Unicef accepted an invitation to set up a stand at the trade exhibition to provide information on its baby friendly initiative, which was designed to help establish breast feeding and was launched in 1991. Also at that meeting members and fellows reaffirmed their unequivocal support for the practice and promotion of breast feeding in a policy statement. This was policy states that “women should be encouraged to practice exclusive breastfeeding for the first 4-6 months of their infant's life. Thereafter, infants should be enabled to breastfeed while receiving appropriate and adequate weaning food for as long as this meets with their mothers' wishes and convenience.1

Therefore, we were surprised and disappointed to read some of the sentiments expressed in the editorial by Costello and Sachdev on encouraging breast feeding which reminded doctors that manufacturers of infant milk substitutes may attempt to seek “endorsement by association” or “passivity towards their products.2“ They cited as examples the failure of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health to join the interagency group on monitoring breast feeding and the fact that the college accepts research funds from manufacturers of breast milk substitutes. In fact, the college declined to join the group not because it was opposed to its …